Abu Dhabi hosts for the first time a magazine celebration "TIME" To honor the most influential figures around the world
ABU DHABI, 8 December / WAM / The capital, Abu Dhabi, hosted – for the first time – the first edition of TIME magazine’s celebration to honor the most influential figures around the world, with the participation of His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, along with an elite group of international business leaders and Jessica Sibley, CEO of the magazine.
These awards aim to honor leaders from around the world who have made a tangible impact in their companies, sectors or communities.
Four prominent figures were honored during the ceremony held on Saadiyat Island: Alexis Ohanian, founder of Seven Seven Six and Athlos, and co-founder of Reddit, Jamie Salter, founder and CEO of Authentic Brands Group (ABG), Kate Callot, founder and CEO of Amini Tech, and Zac Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing.
His Excellency Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi said: “The UAE, with the vision and directives of our wise leadership, has made prosperity a lever and catalyst for social progress, and has given priority to investing in people and inspiring them to achieve ambitious achievements. Therefore, the capital, Abu Dhabi, was the appropriate place to honor these most influential figures around the world, as they embody what positive interaction between human, technological, scientific and social powers can achieve in the service of humanity and promoting global progress in all fields.”
His Excellency added that this consistent approach of the UAE confirms that economic success can be a tool to achieve prosperity and opportunities for all, which has already been achieved on the ground in the country.
During the celebration, the four winners spoke about the challenges of leadership and the importance of innovation and flexibility, with Alexis Ohanian addressing investment opportunities in women’s sports as the next promising sector, while Kate Kalot focused on building an artificial intelligence system that serves the Global South.
As for Zac Brown, he spoke about the requirements of leading a team at the top of Formula 1 competitions, while Jimmy Salter stressed that risk was the key to building his global brand empire.
Alexis Ohanian said: “Through Seven Seven Six and Athlos, I learned to look for opportunities that others ignore. Women’s sports represent a promising new frontier for businesses where we can create real value and significant economic impact. Receiving this honor from TIME is an important recognition of our efforts to change the world’s perception of investing in women’s sports as a promising and profitable market. I thank the UAE for hosting this honor, as it is a role model in how to capture, embrace and develop global opportunities.”
In turn, Kate Callot said: “This honor from TIME confirms our mission to support more than 300,000 small farmers, and demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be a force for justice and economic empowerment if it is designed to serve local communities. I thank the UAE for its role as a bridge between the global North and South, and its vision to build a technological infrastructure that serves everyone, in line with our goal of ensuring that everyone benefits from the progress of artificial intelligence, and not just a limited group.”
For his part, Zak Brown said: “Winning this award is a great honor because it reflects the efforts of the entire McLaren team to return the team to the top of Formula 1 competition. I extend my thanks to the UAE for hosting us in a country that embodies our values of bringing together the best talent to achieve exceptional achievements. What I have learned at McLaren Racing is that my role is to assemble the right team and contribute to building a culture that enables exceptional people to achieve amazing achievements on the track.”
For his part, Jimmy Salter said: “Building the Authentic Brands group taught me that success is not a straight path, and that sometimes taking risks leads to amazing results, such as our global portfolio of $32 billion. I take this opportunity to thank the UAE for providing an inspiring environment that embodies the spirit of innovation and global cooperation that we seek.”
The celebration was organized with the sponsorship and support of the global electronic trading platform Capital.com, the fastest growing financial technology company in Europe, which is expanding its business in the Middle East and North Africa region from the UAE, in addition to the Emirati NMDC Group, the leading regional provider of marine energy, engineering, procurement and construction services, whose work extends across the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and beyond.
Victor Prokopenia, founder of Capital.com, said: “We are proud to celebrate leaders who have turned ideas into tangible impact in their sectors and the lives of millions. The UAE has once again proven that it is a destination for ambitious talent, thanks to an environment that rewards effort and innovation. At Capital.com, we share these inspirations’ vision of making complex systems more accessible and empowering individuals to take control of their futures. When we combine the positive energy of this region, the vision of its leadership, and the determination of the inspirations honored in this celebration, we are establishing a stronger and more resilient society.” And in preparation for the future.”
For his part, Yasser Zaghloul, CEO of the UAE NMDC Group, stressed the group’s commitment to the concept of “guardian leadership,” which is based on guidance, empowerment, and protection of progress.
He said: “The spirit of innovation and flexibility that we witnessed during this celebration reflects the values that we believe in in the UAE and in the NMDC Group, which are ambition, cooperation, and belief in a better future. These principles guide our work and contribute to building a world in which ideas flourish and progress is shared by everyone.”
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